NOA urges Nigerians to treat national symbols with respect

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on Nigerians to imbibe the attitude of respect for the national symbols.

Dr Garba Abari, Director-General of the agency made this call in Abuja on Monday to commemorate this year’s National Symbol Day.

According to a statement by the Head of Press Unit, Mr Paul Odenyi, Abari spoke at the celebration of the nation’s emblems, which include, the National Anthem, National Pledge, National Identity Card, Currency, Passport and the Coat of Arms.

He said that imbibing the attitude of respect for Nigeria’s national symbols would entrench the spirit of collective nationality among the people.

“The National symbols serve as rallying points for identity and cohesion. It deserves to be celebrated with respect and pride.

“These symbols must be treated with care to avoid mutilation, stains, improper rendition or display as the case may be. People must stop spraying the naira at social events,” Abari said.

The NOA boss urged public institutions to check the condition of the national flag hoisted in its different premises to be sure that the correct colour was used for the Coat of Arms.

He urged all Nigerians to join the advocacy for the promotion of our national symbols.

The NOA chief, who described as exceptional and unprecedented, efforts made so far by the staff to help curb the spread of the virus, also acknowledged their “selfless dedication” to duty throughout the virus lockdown period.

He added that even in the face of limited resources, staff still did their best in sensitising citizens to the need to adhere strictly to the safety protocol recommended by the government and the World Health Organisation.

“I thank NOA staff for their generosity of spirit and for their industry in sourcing partnerships, which have sustained the COVID-19 sensitisation at the community level.

“Management takes note of this ingenuity and sacrifice.

“In spite of the paucity of funds, they ensured that the people remain well-informed to stay safe.

“This conduct is a clear reflection of the fact that NOA staff are genuine practitioners of the patriotism which they preach,” Abari said.

NOA boss, however, called on staff of the agency to remain vigilant and resolute in advocacy for hygienic practices as well as compliance with protocols and advisories from government and health workers, especially now that community transmission appeared to be on the increase

“This is not the time to relax. The number of infected people from community transmission has far outnumbered those who got infected from outside the country.

“This means that as community mobilisation officers and state directorates, you must add more efforts to reach the innermost parts of our communities,” he added

He further urged the staff to remain undeterred by the difficulties of the circumstances in which they work, and to continue to justify the setting up of the institution more than thirty years ago.

“We must remain focused and zealous in the days ahead until COVID-19 is eradicated in Nigeria,” said.

Abah, who addressed the general public in various languages during the campaign, said that the sensitisation aimed at reaching out to those at the grassroots level who might be ignorant of the pandemic and its protocols.

He said the campaign would focus specifically on those who did not believe that the epidemic was real.

Abah said: “We are reaching out to streets, government offices, motor parks, traditional rulers, village heads, villages, communities among other groups to observe the safety measures.

“The public enlightenment is to ensure total compliance of the COVID-19 regulations such as regular hand wash, use of sanitizers, face masks, avoiding socal gathering, socal distancing and among other preventive measures.”

He called on electronic and print media organisations’ supports to assist governments efforts in containing the coronavirus spread through continuous sensitisation of the public.

She reminded the residents to adhere to the recommended safety measures, including wearing of face mask, physical distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and water as well as use of alcohol-based sanitiser.

“It has become absolute necessary that the general public should be called upon to be aware that COVID-19 is still affecting people worldwide, Nigeria inclusive.

“As such, the safety measures and protocol of COVID-19 should be strictly observed so as to reduce the spread rather than throw all cautions to the wind which will result in an increase in the number of effected persons.

“The relaxation of the lockdown clearly calls for every citizen to play his/her parts by keeping off COVID-19, considering the increase in the confirmed cases and deaths in Nigeria,” she said.

“NOA nationwide has embarked on a public enlightenment programme aimed at ridding the states of COVID-19.

“We want every citizen of Nigeria to know that COVID-19 is real and to be able to communicate same to their friends, relatives and well wishers.

“There is need to deepen the COVID-19 enlightenment. People should continue to observe personal and environmental hygiene, wear mask, wash their hands regularly under running water, use alcohol based sanitiser and observe social distancing.

“We are also advising Imo people, especially those in the rural areas to report returnees ‘from any quarter’ that entered their community or places of residence who unknown to them may be ‘silent carriers’ to authorities for immediate action.

“This disease is real and not a scam. The figure in Imo state is increasing and we dont want it to continue that way,” he said.

Ekeocha explained that the motorised campaign would focus majorly on remote streets and corners of Owerri where people might not have known much about the coronavirus.

He regretted that despite previous announcements and other activities of government to curtail the spread of COVID-19, people were yet to comply to government directives especially on mask wearing and physical distancing and called for a change of attitude.

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As Nigerians join other Muslims worldwide to mark the 2020 Eid-el-Fitr amid the coronaviruspandemic, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged citizens to observe all precautionary measures against the disease.

The Director General of NOA, Mr Garba Abari, made the call in a Sallah message to the Muslim faithful in Nigeria, a statement by the agency’s Head of Press Unit, Mr Paul Odenyi, said.

Abari also urged them to imbibe the lessons of Ramadan, some of which are discipline, selflessness, and piety.

According to the director general, the month of Ramadan is a period that Muslims should take advantage of to strengthen their faith and stay safe from the ravaging coronavirus by adhering strictly to the precautionary measures put in place.

He said leaders at the local level should take responsibility for enforcing movement restriction orders, inspiring compliance with all advisories by government in line with the spirit of Sallah.

“We cannot afford to be careless or nonchalant about safety precautions in our religious and cultural observations.

“We must be cautious (so as) not to facilitate community transmission of COVID19.

“Leaders, especially in religious and traditional communities, must take responsibility for the safety of the members of their communities from COVID-19 as they interact.

“They can do this by ensuring that prescribed social distancing, use of face masks, regular hand washing, and sanitisation are observed in our communities,” he said

The NOA chief urged Muslims to keep praying for divine protection of Nigerians from the coronavirus, and for the speedy recovery of those already infected.

Mr Ndubuisi IIodigwe, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Community Mobilisation Officer, said that the people in most rural areas need to be more educated on the importance of observing COVID-19 precautionary measures.

IIodigwe made the remark on Friday during NOA’s inauguration of the second phase of sensitisation campaign on COVID-19 preventive measures in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the team visited some markets at Nkwo Agba, Ihiala-Ozu, Isseke and some central motor parks and town union meetings in Ihiala and Okija communities for the sensitisation.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) , have urged mothers and healthcare givers to continue immunising children against child-killer diseases amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The agencies gave the advice at a one-day sensitisation programme for journalists tagged “Media Orientation Meeting for Measles Campaign” held on Wednesday in Owerri.

The Director of NOA in Imo, Mr Vitus Ekeocha, said it had become necessary to sensitise members of the public, especially nursing mothers on the need to access primary healthcare centers to immunise their children.

He said that most mothers and care givers had, in the confusion created by the emmergence of Coronavirus, forgotten and abandoned the immunisatiuon of their children, which he said, had grave consequences.

Ekeocha said the programme was an enlightenment campaign on vaccination against measles and other child-killer diseases and enjoined media houses to help propagate the message.

“COVID-19 is a war which should be fought with all the arsenal the government has. Most mothers at the present stituation may not remember to go and immunise their children.

“There is need to sensitise mothers and care givers that in spite of the pandemic, they should not forget to immunise their children and wards and disregard rumours associated with the COVID-19 pandemic vaccine.

“The press, through their various medium, are enjoined to reach out to the people. Everyone in Imo is expected to know the importance of immunisation,” Ekeocha said.

Also, Dr Chibuzo Okoroama, an Immunisation Officer with Imo State Primary Health Care Developmnt Agency (ISPHCDA) in an “Overview of Measles Campaign” described measles as a highly infectious viral disease caused by measles virus that causes death of children globally.

She noted that there was no specific antiviral treatment for measles but that it could be prevented by immunisation with measles vaccine.

Okoroama listed some necessary children vaccines, their mode of adminstration and dosage.

They include Measles Vaccine for measles, BCG for tuberculosis, for poliomyelitis, Hepatitis B Vaccine, Yellow Fever and Rotavirus vaccines.

According to her, measles is spread through contact with nose and throat secretions in airborne droplets released when an infected person sneezes or coughs.

She, therefore, urged parents to ensure their children were immunised at the right time with correct doses.

Earlier, the UNICEF Programme Officer in Imo, Mr Chigozie Ojiaku noted that vaccination or immunisation is the right of every child which should not be denied them.

He harped on the need to improve on the health indices of the state through immunisation, hence the need for people of the state to get the right messages on immunisation.

Ojiaku said the media, as news gate keepers, waged a lot of influence on what the people should know and believe, appealing to them to promote news on immunisation.

Mrs Violet Igwe, Social Moblisation and Technical Officer and Director ICT in the state Ministry of Information, said information moulded opinion of people, as such its powers could not be overemphasised.

She called on the media to disseminate the information on measles vaccination and discourage propaganda on immunisation against the measles.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the journalists were drawn from the print, electronic and online media.